Black City
The Black City is a metropolis. History (from "Backstory Complex") Caer established his base in Gristhaeft’s Palace, renaming it after himself. He kept Lycin with him, forging shackles, and sent Isrithu to the nearby city of Falan, to take recruits. Through Isrithu, he promised magical power, in return for obedience. Many were seduced by the idea of being “flawless” and followed. The Mythics’ children (though the eldest were about twenty) and friends were able to track Caer, and attempted to attack his stronghold, but could not. They were driven away by the Order of Caer. They used their powers to construct a small, secure tower, once they felt they were far enough away from Caer. A small group volunteered to stay in the tower, and keep magical eyes on Caer. (This is why the tower had an astrological observatory). As they grew older, more Mythics were able to keep the tower. Heathic, Syk and Hudan’s oldest son, (and Caer’s nephew) – also the husband of Murest’s and Vita’s second child, Gina – was particularly determined to prevent his uncle from doing any wrong, and took his place as Captain. After an attack on the tower from Caer, the Mythics began to recruit human volunteers from Mynn and Falan to help them. Heathic trained the humans to use Syk’s magic against Caer’s order (which was still growing), since Caer’s grip on his order’s minds was much like that on an animus. Because of the dominance of Syk’s magic being taught there (and little anywhere else) the place became known as the Academy of Syk. In time, people began recruiting for the sole purpose of learning the magic. The Skorhian Cult When Heathic died, a trusted human Lieutenant, named Salvi, took over. Because attacks were infrequent, Salvi dropped the military regiment, and made the Academy into an actual school. He established an infrastructure similar to that of the Falan Academy (where he had previously studied) ensuring that the Scholarch1 was never in absolute control, and giving all the opportunity to study Syk’s magic. A magical militia, called Warlocks, was still necessary; used both to defend the Academy, and to stop Caer’s attacks. Salvi died, too, leaving leadership to Atrix, who closed off dependance on the Kindgom Mythice, for the purpose of bringing slavery to the Cult; and established the Sorcerers: an elite group of learned magicians who were encouraged to experiment and find new applications for Syk’s magic. Beneath Atrix, applications for extending life were found, as well as rudimentary poltergiests. Beneath Andeui, Atrix’s successor, applications for reanimating the dead were discovered. Later, demon summoning was toyed with. Caer never stopped gathering recruits. Slowly, but surely, he gathered many humans, and the occasional porse, mafu, or vena (particularly Raivena, as the tribe was relatively nearby). However, many of those within the Academy were racist or supremacist, so porce, mafu, and vena were generally more-directly targeted, and more quickly killed in attacks. For that reason, Caer preferred not to conscript them. Centuries passed, and a man named Skorhian became Scholarch. In order to cause the Academy to fall, Caer inserted an illusion into Skorhian’s mind. Skorhian related his experience, claiming to have had a vision, wherein Syk commanded him to use her power to glorify her. Skorhian drastically changed the Academy, renaming it the Skorhian Cult; expanding the fortress to the size of a town. Skorhian commanded all to exalt him as a prophet for Syk, at threat of force. The Scarlet Heart The Cult’s efforts were exhausted, trying to exalt Skorhian and Syk. Caer used the opportunity to attack the Cult. In desperation, a secret organization was founded within the Cult, known as the Scarlet Heart. They stood for the old ways, of stopping Caer from attaining power, and ensuring that the Cult was ever an obstacle for him. Together, they worked to stop Caer, by stopping Skorhian. Eventually, they were able to assassinate Skorhian. Skorhian’s successor was a greedy man, who named himself as king, and commanded all to destroy Caer, under the excuse that “There will be no obstacle for us to glorify Syk through the whole earth and sky.” Ever after, the leaders were known as kings (or queens) and used religion as a way of controlling the people. Eventually, though, as competition for the throne increased, the king became the strongest magician. Through the centuries, the Scarlet Heart continued, acting against kings who, in any way, caused the Cult to assist or back down from Caer.